Keith Fitzgerald was born in Springfield, Ohio, and currently resides in Sarasota, Fla. He received a bachelor's degree from the University of Louisville and a doctorate from Indiana University.

Fitzgerald is a political scientist specializing in American politics with a focus on institutions and public policy. He is the author of "Face of the Nation: Immigration, the State, and the National Identity."

Following a stint at Grinnell College, Fitzgerald has been a professor of political science at the New College of Florida since 1994.

He served two terms in the Florida House from 2007 to 2010.

Fitzgerald and his wife, Angela, have two children.

Keith Fitzgerald is a moderate Democrat who served two terms in the Florida House and is considered U.S. Rep. Vern Buchanan's most formidable challenger since the Republican was elected in 2006.

Running in the new 16th Congressional District, Fitzgerald has outraised his millionaire opponent in each of the first two quarters of 2012.

The Democratic Congressional Campaign Committee heavily recruited Fitzgerald to oppose Buchanan, who is their prime target in the Florida congressional delegation.

"Our sense is his support is pretty shallow," Fitzgerald said.

Buchanan's numerous ethics and campaign finance controversies are likely to be a big part of the campaign, as well as his support for the Paul Ryan budget plan, which would have overhauled Medicare and turned it into a voucher program for future beneficiaries.

"There is still much hard work to be done to bring down the costs of health care for small businesses and middle class families," Fitzgerald said. "We have a long way to go, and solving the hard challenges of health care is one thing I will focus on the day I begin serving."

He also proposed a transparency measure that would require candidates and members of Congress to disclose their individual tax returns to the House and Senate Ethics committees upon declaring their candidacy.

"This is one of many small steps that are needed to regain the public's trust and confidence in our political institutions," Fitzgerald said.